1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydrogen generation device, a fuel cell system and an analysis system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, development of new energy, which considers exhaustion of fossil fuel such as petroleum and an influence of the fossil fuel on the global environment, has been progressed. A technology for utilizing hydrogen energy among various types of energies has attracted attention, in which hydrogen is used in various purposes in industrial fields. Accordingly, development of a fuel cell system that reacts the hydrogen with oxygen and extracts electric energy by the reaction has been progressed. Particularly in recent years, expectations for a fuel cell system usable as a small power supply of a portable electronic instrument have been being increased.
In the case of using the fuel cell system as the small power supply, it is desirable to use, as fuel, not hydrogen gas itself but an organic material, such as dimethyl ether and methanol, having a high energy density. The reason for the above is as follows. In the case of using the hydrogen gas as the fuel of the small power supply drivable for a long time, the hydrogen gas must be compressed to several ten to several hundred atmospheric pressures in order to enhance the energy density. Accordingly, a fuel container must be formed into a heavy and large one in order to ensure strength thereof. Therefore, it is difficult to satisfy requirements that the portable electronic instrument be lightweight, thin, short, and small.
A fuel cell system is known, which uses the organic substance such as the dimethyl ether and the methanol in place of the hydrogen, generates the hydrogen in a reformer installed in the system, and drives the fuel cell by using the generated hydrogen (for example, refer to JP-A (KOKAI) No. 2004-319467.) It is necessary that unused hydrogen gas discharged from the fuel cell be subjected to catalytic combustion in a catalytic combustor, and not be discharged to the outside of the system.
However, in the system of JP-A (KOKAI) No. 2004-319467, when a catalyst in the catalytic combustor is deteriorated, the unused hydrogen gas is not burnt sufficiently and is continuously emitted to the outside of the device in some cases. Accordingly, in general, a safety device is additionally provided according to needs.
Meanwhile, a system is known, which detects abnormality of the catalytic combustor, such as the deterioration of the catalyst, by measuring a temperature in the catalytic combustor (for example, refer to JP-A (KOKAI) No. 2005-158597).
However, the system of JP-A (KOKAI) No. 2005-158597 additionally requires a measurement mechanism for measuring the temperature and an electronic mechanism for determining the abnormality based on the measurement temperature. Accordingly, the device becomes complicated and large, and it becomes difficult to achieve miniaturization of the device or the entirety of the system. Moreover, electric power for driving the measurement mechanism and the electronic mechanism is further required. Accordingly, energy efficiency of the system is decreased.